In a race to prepare for October’s IMF-World Bank Annual Meeting, state airport operator Angkasa Pura I is set to begin construction on the expansion of Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
The high-level meeting will see Bali welcome 17,000 delegates from 189 countries. Guests will include heads of state, central bank governors and ministers, among others.
AP I president director Faik Fahmi said the company was set to disburse Rp 2.1 trillion for the expansion of the airport.
“According to the time frame, by April 26 we should begin construction,” Faik said recently.
The expansion will include the aprons in the western and eastern sides of the airport to allow for more parking areas for large jets, and the VIP I and VIP II terminals in the western side of the airport would be moved to the eastern side near the international cargo terminal.
The work will expand the existing airport by almost 500,000 square metres, mainly through reclamation from the sea and adjoining beach area.
The additional parking lots were viewed as urgent because the airport could not yet meet the demand from around 70 domestic and international airlines serving flights to Bali.
AP I noted that last year, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport welcomed 21 million passengers, nearing its capacity of 25 million passengers.
Source: Straits Times
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